周一主題 2/4 Topic 1.春節風俗Topic 2.春節禁忌

周一主題 2/4 Topic 1.春節風俗Topic 2.春節禁忌

請注意!這是 周一的文章
周一聚會地點: 麥當勞

新北市板橋區文化路二段173號

(江子翠捷運2號出口往前走100公尺左右)

時間: 每周一晚上 7:00~9:30

02-22540821 02-25556076

0976-217-450

Questions:

1. What do you think Chinese New Year Traditions?

2. Do you follow these New Year Traditions?

3. What are your Chinese New Year plans?

Chinese New Year Traditions

Different part of China has very different traditions. The following are the most typical traditions.

New Year's Eve Dinner

The New Year's Eve dinner is the most important dinner for Chinese. Normally this is the family reunion dinner, especially for those with family member away from home. In the New Year's Eve dinner, normally fish will be served. Dumplings are the most important disk in northern china. These two dishes mean prosperous. Other disks are depending on personal preference. The majority of Chinese will have New Year's Eve dinner at home instead of restaurant.

Fireworks

Fireworks are used to drive away the evil in China. Right after the 12:00PM of the New Year's Eve, fireworks will be launched to celebrate the coming of the New Year as well as driven away the evil. It is believed that the person who launched the first Fireworks in the New Year will get good luck.

Shou Sui

Shou Sui means after the New Year's Eve dinner, family member will normally stay awake during the night. Some people just stay until the mid night, after the fireworks. According to tales and legends, there was a mythical beast called the "Year". At the night of New Year's Eve, the "Year" will come out to harm people, animals, and proprieties. Later people found that the "Year" is afraid of red color, fire, and loud sound. Therefore, at the New Year's Eve night, people will launch fireworks, put on some fires, and stay awakes the whole night to fend of the "Year".

Red Packets

Red packet is a red envelope with money in it, range from one to a few thousand Chinese Yuan. Usually the red racket is given by adults, especially married couple, and elderly to young children in the New Year days. It was believed that the money in the red packet will suppress the evil from the children, keep the children healthy, and long living.

New Year Markets

At the New Years days, a temporarily market will be setup mainly selling New Year goods, such as clothing, fireworks, decoration, foods, small arts, etc. The market is usually decorated with a large amount of lanterns.

Small Year

Small year is the 23th or 24th of the last month of the year. It is said that this is the day the food god will leave the family to go to the heaven to report the activity of family to the Emperor of the heaven. People will have some religious ceremony to farewell the food god, including take down and burn the paint of the food god. After the New Year's Day, people will buy a new paint of the food god and post it at the kitchen.

Cleaning

A few days before the Chinese New Year, people will do a complete cleaning of the house and house ware; means get rid of the old and welcome the new. In old days when bath is not often, people will normally take a throughout bath to welcome the New Year.

Decoration

After the cleaning, people will decorate the house to welcome the New Year. Most of the decorations are red in color. The most popular New Year decorations are upside down fu, dui lian, lantern, year paint, papercutting, door god, etc..

Questions:

1. What are the taboos and superstitions about Chinese New Year?

2. What superstitions or taboos do you believe in this Chinese New Year?

3. Do you know why some foods are taboo during Chinese New Year?

Chinese New Year Taboos

Traditionally many taboos are associated with the New Year Festival, but in recent years some of them have been discarded, especially among urban population in larger cities.

New Year Day Taboos

On the first day of the New Year, the following taboos apply:

A woman may not leave her house; otherwise she will be plagued with bad luck for the entire coming year.

A married daughter is not allowed to visit the house of her parents, as this is believed to bring bad luck to the parents, causing economic hardship for the family.

The act of sweeping on this day is associated with sweeping wealth away.

New Year Festival Season Taboos

During the New Year Festival season (from the 1st to 15th of the Lunar New Year) the following taboos apply:

The cry of a child is believed to bring bad luck to the family, so parents do their best to keep children from crying by whatever means possible.

Breaking tools or other equipment during this period is associated with a loss of wealth for the coming year; therefore tradesmen and business people in general take great precautions to prevent it.

A visit to the hospital during this period is believed to bring illness to the person in question for the duration of coming year; therefore visits to the hospital are avoided, except in cases of extreme emergency.